Treadmill with pedometer and method of counting the number of steps of user running or walking on treadmill

ABSTRACT

A treadmill includes a base, a motion assembly and a pedometer system. The pedometer system has a sensor mounted on the base to monitor a speed of an element of the motion assembly, such as a motor, a transmission device, rollers or a running belt, a processor mounted on the base to detect instant variations of the speed of the element of the motion and count the instant variations, and a display mounted on the base to show a number of the instant variations. As a result, people running or walking on the treadmill of the present invention is informed the number of steps of running or walking.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an exercise equipment, andmore particularly to a treadmill having the function of counting thenumber of steps of user walking or running on it.

2. Description of the Related Art

Treadmill is common equipment for exercise and training. Early treadmillonly provides user the speed of the belt and total miles etc. The newtreadmill further provides user some of his/her physiological data, suchas heartbeats, ventilations, and calorie consumption. These informationtell user the status of exercise and his/her physiological status, suchthat user can arrange the desired exercise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide atreadmill, which provides user the number of steps of he/she walking orrunning on it.

According to the objective of the present invention, a treadmillcomprises a base, a motion assembly and a pedometer system. Thepedometer system has a sensor mounted on the base to monitor a speed ofan element of the motion assembly, a processor mounted on the base todetect instant variations of the speed of the element of the motion andcount a number of the instant variations, and a display mounted on thebase to show the number of the instant variations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the pedometer system of the first preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sensor of the first preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the sensor of the first preferred embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the carrier of the sensor of the first preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a chart of the variations of the sensed angular velocity;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the sensor of a second preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the sensor of a third preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the sensor of a fourth preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 are top views of the sensor of the fourth preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the sensor of a fifth preferredembodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the sensor of a seventh preferredembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 3, a treadmill 1 of the first preferred embodiment ofthe present invention includes a base 2, a motion assembly 3 mounted onthe base 2 and a pedometer system. The base 2 includes a base frame 10,two upright frames 12 fixed to the base frame 10, two handlebars 14mounted on the upright frames 12, a deck 16 fixed on the base frame 10and a panel 18 with buttons 20 and a display 22 fixed on tops of theupright frames 12. The motion assembly 3 includes a motor 24, atransmission device 26, two rollers 28 (only showing the front roller inFIG. 1) and a running belt 30. The rollers 28 are pivoted on a front anda rear of the base frame 10, and the running belt 30 is mounted on therollers 30. The transmission device 26 is a belt connecting the motor 24and the front roller 28, such that the motor 24 drives the running belt30 running via the transmission device 26 and the front roller 28.

FIG. 2 shows the pedometer system of the present invention, which as asensor 32, a processor 34 and the display 22. The sensor 32 monitors thespeed of an element of the motion assembly 3. The processor 34 detectsinstant variations of the speed and counts a number of the instantvariations of the speed. And then, the result is shown on the display22, such that user knows how many steps does he/she walks or runs on therunning belt 30.

As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, the sensor 32 of the first preferredembodiment of the present invention includes a light emitting device 36,a receiver 38 and a light gate 40. The light emitting device 36 and thereceiver 38 are made in a single element, and the element has a mount 42to be fixed on the frame 10 adjacent to the front roller 28. The lightemitting device 36 projects infrared rays to the receiver 38. The lightgate 40 is a disk fixed to the front roller 28 for rotation along withthe roller 28 in synchronism. The light gate 40 has several apertures 44with the same interval on a margin thereof. The light emitting device 36and the receiver 38 are located at opposite sides of the light gate 40,and the light gate 40 rotates to have the apertures 44 moving to a pathof the infrared rays from the light emitting device 36, such that thereceiver 38 receives a series of intermittent light signals andtransfers the light signals to electrical signals and transmits them tothe processor 34. The light gate 40 is provided with two weight members46 on opposite sides thereof.

The processor 34 is installed in the panel 18 with a processing circuitand a counting circuit (not shown). The processing circuit receives theelectrical signals from the receiver 38 and measures a time between twosignals (Δt). The included angles (α) between the apertures 44 areknown, so that we can get the angular velocity (ω) of the light gate 40by dividing α by Δt. The angular velocity (ω) is also an indication ofthe speed of the roller 28 of the motion assembly 3. In practice, afrequency of the signals may be taken as an indication of the speed.

As shown in FIG. 6, while the motion assembly rotates in a substantiallyconstant speed, the angular velocity (ω) substantially is constant also.But when a person is running or walking on the running belt 30 and atthe moment that the foot is stepping on the running belt 30, it providesthe motion assembly 3 a loading to slow down the speed of all elements(including the running belt 30, the rollers 28, the transmission device26 and the motor 24), so that the sensor 32 detects an instant variationin the angular velocity (ω). The instant variation of the angularvelocity (ω) substantially is a sine curve. The processor 34 records a“One Step” while one instant variation of the angular velocity (ω) isdetected.

A method of identifying the instant variations of the angular velocity(ω) is calculation of the variation of angular velocity (ω) (i.e.angular acceleration). In practice, the processor is provided with afilter to delete extreme values. The rest values are calculated for theangular acceleration. While an angular acceleration is greater than 0.02degree/sec², or the acceleration is greater than 0.15 km/hr², it istaken as a “One Step”.

The counting circuit of the processor 34 counts the number of “One Step”and shows the number on the display 22.

The sensor may be provided to monitor the speed of any element of themotion assembly, including the motor, the transmission device, therunning belt or and the rollers, also for detection of the instantvariations of the speed.

FIG. 7 shows a sensor 50 of the second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, which has a light gate 52, a light emitting device 54and a receiver 56. The light gate 52 is teeth on an edge of a runningbelt 58. The light emitting device 54 and the receiver 56 are located atopposite sides of the running belt 58 associated with the teeth 52.Running of the running belt 58 makes the receiver 56 receive a series ofintermittent light signals as above. FIG. 8 shows a sensor 62 of thethird preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is similar tothe sensor 50 of the second preferred embodiment, except that the lightgate 64 is apertures on a margin of the running belt 66. The sensor 52or 62 is preferred fixed at a position adjacent to the roller 60 or 68that can reduce the effect of vibration of the running belt.

As shown in FIG. 9, a sensor 70 of the fourth preferred embodiment ofthe present invention includes a rotor 72 and a switch 74. The rotor 72is a disk, on which magnets 78 are fixed in a circulative pattern. Themagnets 78 have the same interval. The switch 74 has a housing 80 andtwo conductive plates 82 therein. The plates 82 have ends fixed to thehousing 80 and have free ends 84 suspended. The free ends 84 of theplates 82 are overlapped. The plates 82 are electrically connected tothe processor via a wire (not shown). While the magnet 78 of the rotor72 closes to the plates 82, the free ends 84 of the plates 82 are incontact (FIG. 11). While the magnet 78 moves away from the plates 82,the free ends 84 of the plates 82 are separated (FIG. 10). In otherwords, the rotor 72 provides a periodical magnetic field with afrequency directly proportional to the speed of the rotor 72. Themagnetic field makes the plates 82 of the switch 74 touching andseparation repeatedly. As a result, the switch 74 produces a serious ofdigital signals with ON and OFF. As above, we can get the angularvelocity (ω) of the rotor 72 by measuring the time between two ONsignals or between two OFF signals, or just measuring the frequency ofthe digital signals to be an indication of the velocity of the rotor 72.If the processor detects an instant variation in the velocity, itrecords a “One Step”.

As shown in FIG. 12, the fifth preferred embodiment of the presentinvention provides a sensor 86 including a rotor 88 with magnets 90thereon and a coil 92. The rotor 88 produces a periodical magneticfield. With the electromagnetic induction, the coil 92 generates acurrent under the periodical magnetic field. While user is stepping therunning belt, the loading slows down the motion assembly as well as therotor 90. The magnetic field is changed suddenly also to make theinduction current has an instant variation. While the instant variationof the current is detected, the processor records a “One Step”.

The sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention provides amethod of counting the number of steps that user walks or runs on atreadmill. The current in the motor is monitored to be an indication ofthe speed of the motion assembly. While user is stepping the runningbelt, the current in the motor is increased to enlarge the torqueoutput. As a result, while the current in the motor is detected with aninstant variation, the processor records it as a “One Step”.

As shown in FIG. 13, a sensor 94 of the seventh preferred embodiment ofthe present invention includes a wheel 96, a mount 98 and a tachometer100. The wheel 96 is pivoted on the mount 98, and the tachometer 100 isconnected to the wheel 96 to detect the speed of rotation thereof. Themount 98 has two elongated slots 102 and two blots 104 inserted into theslots and screwed into a frame 106 of the treadmill, such that the mount98 is movable to press the wheel 96 on a running belt 108. The wheel 96runs along with the running belt 108, and the tachometer 100 monitorsthe speed of the wheel 96. While an instant variation of the speed ofthe wheel 96 is detected, the processor records a “One Step”.

Except the sixth preferred embodiment, the treadmill of the presentinvention may be a non-electric treadmill. In other words, the motionassembly only includes the rollers and the running belt but the motorand the transmission device.

1. A treadmill, comprising: a base; a motion assembly having two rollerpivoted on the base and a running belt mounted on the rollers forrotation; a sensor for monitoring a speed of an element of the motionassembly; a processor for detecting instant variations of the speed ofthe element of the motion and to count the instant variations, and adisplay for showing a number of the instant variations.
 2. The treadmillas defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor has a light emitting device, areceiver and a light gate, and further wherein the light emitting deviceis mounted on the base to emit rays to the receiver, and the light gateis connected to the element of the motion to rotate along with theelement in synchronism, which has apertures to be moved to a path of therays from the light emitting device, such that while the light gate isrotated, the receiver receives intermittent light signals and transferthe signals to the processor to measure a time between two of thesignals.
 3. The treadmill as defined in claim 2, wherein the light gateis a disk with a weigh member thereon.
 4. The treadmill as defined inclaim 1, wherein the sensor has a light emitting device, a receiver anda light gate, and further wherein the light emitting device and thereceiver are mounted on the base at opposite sides of the running belt,and the light emitting device emits rays to the receiver, and the lightgate is apertures on the running belt, such that while the running beltis running, the receiver receives intermittent light signals andtransfer the signals to the processor to measure a time between two ofthe signals.
 5. The treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensorhas a light emitting device, a receiver and a light gate, and furtherwherein the light emitting device and the receiver are mounted on thebase at opposite sides of the running belt, and the light emittingdevice emits rays to the receiver, and the light gate is teeth on anedge of the running belt, such that while the running belt is running,the receiver receives intermittent light signals and transfer thesignals to the processor to measure a time between two of the signals.6. The treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor has a rotorand a switch, wherein the rotor is connected to the element of themotion assembly, on which magnets are provided, whereby the magnetsproduce a periodical magnetic field while the rotor is rotating, and theswitch is turned on and turned off repeatedly by periodical magneticfield to generate a serious of digital signals.
 7. The treadmill asdefined in claim 1, wherein the sensor has a rotor and a coil, whereinthe rotor is connected to the element of the motion assembly, on whichmagnets are provided to produce a periodical magnetic field while therotor is rotating, whereby the coil generates an induction current bythe periodical magnetic field, and a value of the induction current istaken as an indication of the speed of the motion assembly.
 8. Thetreadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the senor has a wheel pivotedon the base and pressing the running belt to rotate along with therunning belt and a tachometer connected to the wheel to detect a speedof the wheel.
 9. A method of counting a number of steps that a personruns or walks on a treadmill, wherein the treadmill has a base and amotion assembly, and the motion assembly has a running and two rollers,comprising the steps of: monitoring a speed of an element of the motionassembly of the treadmill; detecting instant variations of the speed;counting the instant variations of the speed, and display a number ofthe instant variations of the speed.
 10. The method as defined in claim9, wherein a method of monitoring the speed of the element of the motionassembly of the treadmill comprises the steps of: emitting rays to alight gate, wherein the light gate is moved along with the element ofthe motion assembly in synchronism, and the light gate has apertures tobe moved to a path of the rays, so that while the light gate isrotating, the rays becomes intermittent signals by the light gate;receiving the signals, and measuring a time between two of the signalsto calculate a speed of the light gate, wherein the speed of the lightgate is taken as an indication of the speed of the element of the motionassembly.
 11. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein a method ofdetecting instant variations of the speed comprises the steps of:calculating a variation of the speed of the element of the motionassembly, and recording the variation of the speed as the instantvariation while the variation of speed is greater than 0.02 degree/sec²or 0.15 km/hr².
 12. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein a methodof monitoring the speed of the element of the motion assembly of thetreadmill comprises the steps of: providing a periodical magnetic fieldto a switch, wherein a frequency of the periodical magnetic field isdirectly proportional to the speed of the element of the motionassembly, and the switch is turned on and turned of repeatedly toproduce a serious of ON and OFF signals, and measuring a time betweentwo of the ON signals or between two of the OFF signals to calculate thespeed of the element of the motion assembly.
 13. The method as definedin claim 9, wherein a method of monitoring the speed of the element ofthe motion assembly of the treadmill comprises the steps of: providing aperiodical magnetic field to a movable plate, wherein a frequency of theperiodical magnetic field is directly proportional to the speed of theelement of the motion assembly, and the switch is repeatedly by theperiodical magnetic field to produce a serious of digital signals, andmeasuring a frequency the digital signals to calculate the speed of theelement of the motion assembly.
 14. The method as defined in claim 9,wherein a method of monitoring the speed of the element of the motionassembly of the treadmill comprises the step of providing a periodicalmagnetic field to a coil, wherein a frequency of the periodical magneticfield is directly proportional to the speed of the element of the motionassembly, and the coil generates an induction current by the periodicalmagnetic field, and a method of detecting the instant variations of thespeed comprises the step of detecting instant variations of theinduction current.
 15. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein amethod of monitoring the speed of the element of the motion assembly ofthe treadmill comprises the step of measuring a current of a motor ofthe motion assembly, wherein a value of the current is taken as anindication of the speed of the motion assembly, and a method ofdetecting the instant variations of the speed comprises the step ofdetecting instant variations of the current.